Quakes jolt Mayon

Mayon Volcano in Albay province is Bicol region’s top attraction. —MICHAEL B. JAUCIAN

LEGAZPI CITY — At least 57 earthquakes jolted Mount Mayon since Saturday, indicating the volcano’s abnormal state, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) here said.

According to Ed Laguerta, Phivolcs resident volcanologist, the agency has been closely monitoring the surge of volcanic quakes for the past three days, specifically the possible sources of the tremors.

Laguerta said “rock fracturing” could be one of the possible reasons for the earthquakes due to pressure beneath the volcano’s edifice.

“We are still assessing the state of the volcano based on given parameters. So far, there is still no indication that Mayon’s abnormal behavior has intensified,” he said.

Among the parameters that Phivolcs is monitoring are earthquakes (volcanic, harmonic), gas emission, edifice inflation, magma intrusion and crater glow.

Laguerta said seismic monitoring instruments recorded 32 quakes on Saturday, 12 on Sunday, and 13 on Monday.

Alert Level 1 remains in effect over Mayon, indicating the volcano’s abnormal state.

Cedric Daep, executive director of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, asked residents and visitors to avoid entering the 6-kilometer radius permanent danger zone to avoid sudden rock fall, landslides and avalanches, including ash puffs and steam-driven or phreatic eruptions from the volcano’s summit. —Mar S. Arguelles